RINGO STARR AND HIS FOURTH ALL-STARR BAND:

THE LATEST INCARNATION OF THE BRITISH INVASION HITS THE ROAD

"All I ever wanted to do was be a drummer in a band," said Ringo. And what a couple of bands it has been. This year Ringo Starr is back with the latest version of the British Invasion, Ringo Starr and his Fourth All-Starr Band. The U.S. tour of only 25 engagements began in April and Vintage Rock was there to witness the ensemble in all their glory on May 4 in San Diego.

With a stellar line-up that features Peter Frampton on guitar, Gary Brooker from Procol Harum on keyboards, Cream's Jack Bruce on bass, Simon Kirke from Bad Company on drums and Mark Rivera on horns, Ringo dazzled the SRO crowd at Humphrey's with stirring renditions of "With A Little Help From My Friends," "Yellow Submarine," "Photograph," and "You're Sixteen."

Ringo handed over the spotlight through-out the show, prompting versions of Brooker's "Whiter Shade of Pale," "The Devil Came From Kansas," and "Conquistador;" Frampton's "Do You Feel Like I Do," and "Show Me The Way;" Bruce's "Sunshine Of Your Love," "White Room" and "I Feel Free;" and Kirke's "Shooting Star" and "All Right Now."

Majestically set beside the San Diego Harbor, the concert was representative of optimum vintage rock. Here, in fact, was a band that looked like they were having the time of their lives. A bespeckled and closely cropped Frampton was in especially fine form during the Cream/Jack Bruce numbers. It was as if Frampton had been waiting his whole life to prove that he is more than a pretty face from the past, and can play those classic licks with all the strength, finesse and bravado of Eric Clapton.

With its smallest line-up to date, the All-Starrs came across as more of a band than a group of superstars slapped together for a one-off tour. Previous line-ups have included Dr. John, Billy Preston, Joe Walsh, Rick Danko, Jim Keltner, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemmons, Dave Edmunds, Todd Rundgren, Burton Cummings, Timothy B. Schmidt, Timmy Capello, Randy Bachman, Mark Farner, Felix Cavaliere, John Entwistle and, helping his Dad out on drums for two of the tours, Zak Starkey -- currently in rehearsals with The Who for another "farewell" tour.

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